Trials and Suffering
Bob Eckel · Jun 27, 2004
Trials & Suffering (2004), No. 25
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/482623963806

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

What I thought we'd do this morning is, what I did is I looked back over the entire six months, and what I thought we'd kind of do is kind of summarize today, and just have a lot of time for discussion. Now that we've all conquered our trials and sufferings, right?

We're on top of things from everything we've learned, and when Berne was praying with us just a few minutes ago, he revealed in his prayer the idea of the truth. And it's not that Holly Hills is the corner on the truth, but it reminded me of the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ himself said, the truth will set you free. And therefore you will be free indeed, right? I mean, what a beautiful thing that is to think about how the truth really does give us that freedom, doesn't it? It's an amazing thing to ponder and think about. We may want to... Oh, good. Thanks, Brian.

All right, the task today is not going to be overly complicated. We're not going to spend too much time in material, because I'm looking at this as kind of a summary and conclusions of our class on trials and suffering. How many are taking Second Corinthians, by the way, at this point? A few of you will see again. Okay, so that's great. The rest of you are moving on to other pastures, probably greener, actually. But anyway, we'll look forward to touching base with you as the months change and the topics change. So here are the topics today.

We're going to reveal very briefly what the sources of trials and sufferings and tribulations are in our life. You know this, but we'll review it. What's our kind of standard response to this? Revealing and reviewing again God's purpose through the trials and sufferings. And finally, Does the way we respond to this ultimately promise to change?

So sources, I thought I'd get with it here in terms of pictures and diagrams like everybody else around here. Which one looks closest to your most recent experience? The woman in the center could be any of us at any time, right? I guess I would prefer to be the guy on the left rather than the one on the right. I don't know which one looks more treacherous, but all of them look like there's something going on that's probably not to their choosing. So what are the sources of our trials and tribulations? Let's just show the whole slide. Which one of these three really predominates?

What's Satan's role in the life of the believer? Does Satan influence us on a day-to-day basis? Yes. What if Satan were out of the picture? Would we be home free? No. But I think you can't really isolate the two of ourselves and Satan. It's better in the role we play.

Alright, now we've got the involvement of the world, the world system, right? The cosmos. So Satan's the prince in power of this system, right? Go ahead, Norm. Well, Norm, it's up there. It's just under the second part. You need to read on. Okay, so the external impact that we have through temptation and sin and trials and suffering really is Satan himself, and we'll look at these verses. And then secondly, the world system. The world's not our friend. Remember, this isn't our home. This is our business address, right? And the world system is the antithesis to what God's kingdom is all about. And that's where we operate. But the third thing, and I think it's very relevant, it's the old man within, right?

You know, I love Mark 7.15 that says, there is nothing from outside a man that, entering into him, can defile him. So that tells us as believers that basically we're set apart from Satan in the world. And positionally, how true is that? It's very true. But look what defiles him. But the things which come in out of him, those are the things that defile him.

So we're surrounded day in and day out by Satan and his power and the world system. But yet, even if we operated in an environment like Adam did, just think about Adam. Of course, Satan was there. He hadn't shown up yet. But for the existence until the original sin, Satan was really pretty unapparent.

And the world system at that was created in God's image. I mean, He created the heavens and the earth, right? So the world wasn't tainted by sin. So Satan and the world was really having no impact on Adam. But Adam's nature proved itself true, didn't it?

So when those other outside forces came on board, the temptations, the trials, the tribulations resulted from the fact that it's what's within each one of us that defiles us. I mean, we can have these influences from the outside, but in fact, the internal source of our sufferings and trials really cannot be denied.

Let's look at Hebrews 4.15 for a second. Now remember, this is looking to be a summary and kind of conclusions of our six months of time together. I know Hal would like to be here, but we'll trust that he's with us in spirit. Somebody get 4.15, just go ahead and read it.

We have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted, like as we are yet without sin. Remember, two words for tempted. The one is from a good sense, kind of being proven as to who you really are. And the second Greek verb for tempted is, is tempted to sin. And it's interesting that although I really like to think of the Lord Jesus Christ's experience in the wilderness as proving who he really was, the Greek term is actually the fact that he was tempted to sin.

I mean, these terms can be used to some extent interchangeably, but what we see here is identification, don't we? For we have a high priest who cannot be touched with a feeling of our infirmities. In other words, there was no capability that the Lord Jesus Christ could sin. But yet, in all points, he was tempted like we are. So this is temptation to sin. So that term is the power of Satan, is it not? The temptation is something from external that gives us an opportunity to respond in a way that this internal nature plays out for everything it's worth.

All right, let's turn to Ephesians 2, 1 and 2. Of course, Vern has been teaching us out of Ephesians, and we dealt with this, I think, three weeks ago. And you hath he made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins, and which in times past ye walked according to what? The course of this world. according to the prince of the power of the air and the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience." So we see both Satan and the world system very much tied one with the other here in Ephesians 2. So this world system really is operated by the prince of the power of the air and it's really impossible sometimes to distinguish these external sources of temptation lead us into the trials and sufferings that we actually experience.

But don't forget old Adam. Let's turn to James chapter 1 and look at those two verses. John, you got that? James 1, 14 and 15? But every man is tempted, where he is drawn away of his own lust and of tithes. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin. And sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Alright, so just with some just single sections of scripture examples of these various things that are sources of temptation, sin, trials, sufferings, All of these things, in fact, are well-represented throughout Scripture, but this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of some text to support this.

Discussion, thoughts about sources of sin and trials. Go ahead, John. One thing that doesn't cover... Want to speak up a little bit? God is not the source, but He can allow us to have trials and suffering. in order to work with patients for illness. Yeah, very purposeful. Yeah, very purposeful. Other thoughts about the sources of these temptations? You know, all the sources together, you know, we can dwell on them and talk about them, but as we were looking at these, I started thinking, but you know what?

Greater is He that is in the world. So, all these things, when we look at them, they look insurmountable, but they're not, because it's not an evenly balanced scale. Greater is He that is in me. He has made provision for everyone. Excellent. Great point. We're going to build on that here as we go on to summarize. That's absolutely wonderful. You're setting the stage for everything that follows.

Other thoughts? Have you heard believers blame Satan? Goodness, we don't need him in here. I mean, the world system itself in our own internal nature is sufficient. We can blame Satan all we want. And yes, he is the prince of the power of the air. And so the world system operates within his domain. But I got plenty just inside here that takes me down the wrong path. That's kind of like Adam. Adam's like what? Adam blamed Eve. Oh yeah, blamed Eve. Well, wasn't it her fault? Let's not discuss that here this morning.

All right, so the second point here, kind of looking at bringing this to some conclusion, is what's our typical response? And actually, I went back to Hal's original lesson that we had on this topic. And here's the typical response, everybody. And we're going to maybe pick out some favorites here.

I mean, a very common thing is, why me, Lord? What's going on here? Why am I chosen to have to go through this? Number two. What did I do now? In other words, the idea that trials and tribulations come from something we've done. Now, sometimes they do. But sometimes they don't have anything to do with anything we've done. And that seems to have no explanation. Next, why is God punishing me?

This idea that these things there are to somehow teach us a lesson. Now, we know as a consequence of these things that lessons are taught. But yet, who's being taught? Is Adam being schooled? I mean, is the idea of the trial and the tribulation is to buff up the old man so he or she responds better in terms of these situations?

I don't think so. I mean, that's not the truth that sets us free. Why isn't God fixing things? I mean, I would imagine every one of you on a day-to-day basis kind of ask that question even subconsciously. Why isn't this being taken care of? We know God's in a position to do that. God must need my help. How we doing there? How many times have you heard, and you may do it yourself, I find myself doing this, God help me. Wrong request, right? God help me. Help me what? Live by faith maybe, right?

But helping me is not the solution. How about God must be out to lunch. He doesn't understand these things that come up in our path, so he's just going to let us kind of work it out on our own time. Well, he's there to support us, but kind of sleepy today, maybe not really so interested in getting us through this.

And as a result, when we have our own responses that come to bear on these trials and tribulations, here's what follows. Frustration, anxiety, disappointment, Worry. Worry is a sin. My goodness. Discouragement. Fear. I always like William R. Newell's comment on disappointment. Anybody heard that? Disappointment. What's disappointment? It's lack of faith. Disappointment is to have trusted yourself, right? So all these things really follow the human response to the the trials and tribulations in our life. Can you identify with some of these? Margaret?

And you know, Clark was talking about his friend Sarah, and one of the questions that Sarah said, which unbelievers ask all the time, why does God allow Hitler? Why does God allow these horrible atrocities to happen? What is this God? We must not be as powerful, or he's not who you say he is. Well, many believers would say the same thing, wouldn't they? So what's the source of that? John, what's the source of that? Do you have something else you want to add? Do you want to answer that question?

Jesus said that these things must be, because they are like birth pains, leading up to his return. All right. So this is all playing out in time to ultimately have things be prophetically true, as he's promised. Keep in mind, everybody, the world ain't going uphill. This is a downhill cycle here we're on and part of. So, again, back to Margaret's question. What is the source of this idea, if there's all this tragedy in the world, how God can be a just and fair and loving God? What's the source of the problem with that question? Anybody? unbelief. In what, Carol? In all that he said.

But we saw the Lord Jesus Christ come down and heal individuals with maladies, or even offspring of individuals who trusted that he could heal. And these were good things, right, from the eyes of the world? Here's Christ and all his miracles, which really preserve life here. What about Lazarus being restored to life after he died? What's all that about? That's a benefit, that's an earthly good feeling and wonderful act of God, is it not?

So how do we put that into perspective about the way we would respond outside of our faith to the trials and tribulations that come our way? What's the basic truth that's lacking with these responses? John? It's definitely not a typical response that's really difficult to do sometimes, but I found that if you praise God in a bad situation, that you bring His power into the situation. Scripture says that He inhabits the praises of His people, so if we praise Him, we bring Him into it. Alright, so praising Him through these trials and tribulations, but what's the foundation of that response? Our faith, but our faith in what? Maybe it's kind of guess what I'm thinking kind of deal, but I don't think so Doug. God's purpose, God has a purpose. All right, he has a purpose in everything, no question about that, but where's our citizenship?

What is a believer to look like in the setting of the trials and tribulations he or she faces? We're supposed to look like a citizen from a different world, right? I mean, that's what is expected of us by faith to walk trusting the Lord through these circumstances.

This is simply a response to the things that occur on this planet. But the heavenly life is one that transcends these experiences. You know, working on Adam to try to improve our response is not the way this is all about. It's a foundation in our position in the Lord Jesus Christ and heavenly places. This isn't a mental, intellectual process where we convince ourselves that's the way we respond. These responses are lacking faith that we're who we really are. Dave, did you have a comment?

Yeah, I was wondering if the group of the question that Margaret asked that I hear quite often Isn't it kind of, kind of in Romans, I think it goes deeper than just what you're saying, that God has turned this world over in the form of Satan, to the world. And so there are a lot of things that happen that God allows, he was saying earlier. because of our choice and because of our sins. A friend of mine said once that there are a lot of people who believe in God but they don't really believe God and like Margaret you were saying about when you're disappointed it means that you trust it in yourself well I mean do we really believe God when he says there is none that is righteous Because all the stuff that happens in the world, we should expect nothing less. Because there is none that is right.

And to me, like, we live close to Columbine, we've got two kids who go to Columbine. And when I, you know, people, oh, you know, 13 kids, you know, 13 people died, where was God? Like, you know what? Those propane bombs were meant to kill hundreds. That's where God was. He was restraining the evil so that more didn't die. That's an interesting thought. Most of us don't think of that, do we? Yeah. And so that's to me where God was.

And he's restraining this world where none is righteous and left to ourselves. It would be just like before the flood. We all would have wiped each other out. Because there is none that is righteous and left to our own thin nature. We would commit all the atrocities you hear of and more. But we just don't quite believe that about ourselves. We don't think that might and nature is capable of that. David? I think the follow-up question is why does God allow it at all? I mean, like Columbine, he could have killed a hundred, but if God is so loving, then why thirteen? That's where it goes.

But I would contend that if we're solidly placed in our citizenship, that we have nothing to expect from this world system. We all have security blankets and we have this sense of entitlement. And boy, I'm as guilty as anybody there. You know, the idea of, you know, certain things that we're expecting to work out, you know, that's really a world system kind of phenomenon, not anything that's heavenly. But yet, You know, positionally, we have nothing to expect from this world. Nothing. Except to walk by faith and see ourselves triumphing over these things that come along our path that aren't things that we would choose. I mean, the world has nothing to offer us. Nothing.

But yet we still have this sense of security and that we have our homes and home insurance and our jobs and our life insurance and all these things that we kind of trust in. But yet, God doesn't promise us life insurance, except heavenly life insurance, right? It's a whole different kind of life insurance. It's not the kind we get here.

So, why are we at unrest when these trials and tribulations come our way? Well, it's because we're looking at the circumstances from our own perspective. And that's sin-sourced. And that's Adam-sourced. Now, I'm not a pure you know, facilitating day, because I got all this tucked in, right? I mean, God's perspective, though, is a very, very different perspective, isn't it? And what's God's perspective?

And I summarized that simply in a couple of verses, but we could use many others. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen. Why? Because the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal. How's that for a soft pillow to lay our head? God's perspective is that these things, as Paul said, are light afflictions that last only for a moment. Why?

Because Paul is seated in heavenly places. he was seated in heavenly places, now he certainly is, as we are seated in heavenly places. And that's really, I think, again, just a representative couple of verses that deal with this topic. So, back to what John said earlier, and Peggy kind of alluded to, what's the purpose of these trials and tribulations and, if you will, temptations that show up in our life? Well, the question that comes up, gee, has God appointed us unto these trials? And the answer is unequivocally, yes, absolutely. Absolutely.

1 Thessalonians 3.3 says that no man should be moved by these afflictions. For yourselves know that we are appointed to these things. Appointed to these trials and tribulations. And as shown in 1 Peter and elsewhere, it's actually a privilege for us to be put in these trials and tribulations. Isn't that neat to praise him, John, through these things? Because we're placed in a circumstance in which the trials are expected.

Wow, that doesn't sound very nice, does it? But if you're not suffering, you've got to think a little bit, why not? I mean, it's not the idea that we have to, but yet God does allow us to experience our earthly environment to prove to us that our citizenship is really not here. Yep, thoughts, Margaret. One of the things, you know, too, is that I think a lot of times people think when they hear the word trial that, well, it could be, you know, some really like a health problem or a real, I mean, a real, you know, crisis kind of a trial. Whereas in reality, The Lord knows each one of us and what the appropriate trial is for us.

And I think for some people it may not be huge, giant things, but it's... I don't know how to explain it. The little things are almost more of an issue, aren't they? For some people, because the Lord knows that for that person, maybe it's this particular trial that's not a giant, you know, their house doesn't burn down and all those kind of things, but it's something else that is specific for that person. So I think sometimes you look at people and you say, well, they're not experiencing the same kind of trial that I am experiencing or this person is experiencing, but their trial could be to them just as traumatic, but a whole different kind of a trial. You know what I'm saying? Absolutely.

You know, sometimes I think just being in these earthly bodies is a trial. Just hanging out down here is a trial. Oh yeah, there are things that are warm and fuzzy that we experience every day, like the love of our family, and some friendships that we have in the Lord, and all these things are just warm and cuddly, but just existing in this human flesh is a trial. If we really think and trust that our citizenship is in heavenly places.

Dave? Appointed means it's already foreknown. So these trials, God's got all known ahead of time. Now, does He make the trials happen to prove who we really are? In a sense, yes, but I don't know that He's really manicuring these trials to exist exactly as they are, but you know, we're appointed unto trials and tribulations, and it really reflects, I think, where we're at in terms of this planet. Go ahead. part of his perfect, that's his desire, his perfect desire, is for us to go through all of these?

That's what he wants? Or is there a place in that where, because we live in this world, in the sin that's here because of our fallen state and the unrighteousness of man, that he uses the situations that we're in for his purpose? I think it's a good question. The question, I might ask that back to you.

Does God know what's going to happen at 2.15 this afternoon in your life? Does He appoint it to be that way? Or in fact, are those circumstances going to occur perfectly to have His will fulfilled in your life? He knew it in eternity past. Okay, but does God plan bad things? Nobody knew it. But He knows they're going to occur. Does that mean that he's not in control? We call him bad. All right, all right, good, good. Okay, God is never the source of sin, is he? Never. God is never the source.

It's like we know, you know, if you have children, you know your children so well, and you know the response we're expecting to get. And it's the same thing with the Lord. He knows us, and he knows that are responses to different things. So, you know, that helps me understand that it's not that we're puppets, that he's, you know, he knows us each so well to even be able to foresee, you know, this afternoon at 2 o'clock.

Don't you think, too, that a lot of people, they make those decisions. I mean, we have decisions every day that we make. And there are always consequences. And I think, you know, we deal with this with our children, too, that there are consequences to making a certain decision. And sometimes they're far-reaching consequences. They last a long time. Other times, maybe they're not as severe a consequence. Sometimes it's a positive consequence.

But I think, you know, that's what we do, too. Part of our trials are decisions that we have made that may not be the best decision. I mean we had a couple of choices and we maybe didn't choose the right one. And then we have a consequence which becomes a trial. Alright, Dave. Yeah, I would, I don't know if we can say that all things, that there aren't things that are bad.

I think God is grieved by the sin in this world. He, you know, we look at Romans 8 28 and say he works all things together for good. No, there's no question about that. Go ahead. I wonder, somebody mentioned health issues. Are all health issues necessarily a trial? We are wearing out God didn't make us for earthly beings to last forever. Eternally He is. So that my health issue, maybe it's just because I'm wearing out and the new part isn't necessarily going to fix the old body. I don't disagree with that one bit.

I mean, these bodies age and you know, there's certain natural consequences of the world system, the way it operates, and that's deterioration, right? But you know, some people are fraught with poor health very early in life, at birth. Right, Norm? Yeah, so did mine. I mean, we all have issues that show up at different times in our life. Who's guaranteed good health? I mean, but the sense is that we are. And we live in a very sophisticated medical health care delivery system these days.

Bob, that wasn't always true. We spent five years in England, and it's interesting how people noticed that the birth rate, if you would die at birth, they wouldn't name their children because they were afraid they wouldn't live necessarily. They wouldn't give them names because until they lived days, weeks, they would not give them names because they did not want to have those events. this child a name that he would die. So good health is a phenomenon that we enjoy here. It's not universally true. And people's approach to that is different.

Let's look to see what God's purpose really is for these trials. And remember that there's a view that to some extent how much we're suffering really relates to how much yardstick growth is really going to be occurring. John? A lot of it too is we are God's children. And he loves, he chastens us. Yeah, I mean, that's certainly a real part of this. Let's look at these verses.

Ephesians 3.10, God's purpose, one of them, is to declare His glory.

In Ephesians 3.10, it says, "...to the intent that now, under the principalities and powers in heavenly places, that we might be known as a church in the manifold wisdom of God." So God's intent is that His glory would be declared through these earthly trials. Secondly, to reveal His glory, 2 Corinthians 4. And just parenthetically, 2 Corinthians is a tremendous book that will be studied, of course, in more detail as we pursue that over the next six months. But in chapter 4, remember, Hal taught a lot in here, and I taught some here.

2 Corinthians 4.10, says, always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

So then, death works in us, but life in you. So the principle of these sufferings and trials is to bringing about an The truth of the fact that his life is actually what's being shown through this, that's true identification, is it not? Was that not Christ himself? Was that not what Paul really reflected so often in his epistles? The idea of the death in us, but life of him played out. Okay, that's really revealing his glory.

To share his glory, 2 Thessalonians 2.14. These, by the way, are just exemplary verses of these truths.

2 Thessalonians 2.14. Unto which, meaning these trials, he's called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. And ultimately, to be glorified. Back to 2 Corinthians again. 415. For all things and for all sakes that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound or rebound to the glory of God. How you doing at this? Is his purpose being fulfilled in your life? Well, we in the Adam nature aren't doing very well. I don't know about you. There's no ability of Adam to work harder at overcoming these things.

But God said, for me to live as Christ and die as game. So as the Christ life manifests itself in us, we're doing really well. Because that's the life that shows up and sustains during these trials and tribulations. Now when we think about God's purpose and leave that behind, meaning to declare His glory, reveal His glory, to share His glory, and be glorified, then we think about us individually. Let's look at each one of these verses. This is really from our perspective now, not so much from His, why these trials and tribulations are there. From His perspective, His glory is what's seen in our trials. Let's think about it individually now and look at each of these verses as an example of this.

To perfect us, Hebrews 2.10.

For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things and bringing many sons unto glory and to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. And the term perfect is complete, is it not? So we as believers who experience these trials and tribulations are being completed, if you will, through these trials. Now, what's the thought of being completed? To prove who we really are, isn't it? I mean, these things are put there for a purpose, to perfect us or complete us in the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 5.10, let's turn there. Great verse, but the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after you've suffered for a while. Oh, by the way, this great God of grace who has called us to eternal glory after you've suffered for a while. Oh, I guess there's going to be some of that too, isn't there? To make you perfect establish and strengthen and settle you. Do I have to take that path? Yeah, we do. We do. And that path establishes us in the truth of who we are. We're in a foreign planet, remember, this is our business address. And also strengthens us through these trials and tribulations. Back to Romans 8, 28, 29.

Dave, were you commenting on this or one of us was? I think the idea of confirmation really can't be ignored, can it, in the trials and tribulations. to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among brethren. So the process of confirmation is the process of our heavenly being being demonstrated in the presence of these earthly trials and tribulations. Confirmation to be Christ-like. That's not a work that we're going to work harder at here. It's an act of faith to again prove us who we really are. And the book of 2 Corinthians, we'll not need to turn there now, is a book that begins with a comfort zone. Comfort is something that God provides for his children as we take on these trials and tribulations.

Doug, do you want to share something with us there? You're shaking your head to some extent. Either that you're doubting what we're talking about or you're shaking it because of this great comfort. Go ahead. Well, I have my wife's Bible. And almost every verse she has underlined. Well, good. Either we think a lot or God thinks the same way. I suspect the latter is more true, is it not?

Any thoughts about these purposes? Remember, purposes are for Him to be glorified. You've got to start there. If we don't start there, we've got our wrong citizenship cloak on today. But, you know, there's a side benefit. God to reveal His glory. But, you know, He's already done that in so many ways. But, by the way, He's got some more glory to be revealed. But yet we benefit. And here are the verses that just suggest that that benefit is still occurring.

To us, despite that God's glory is the predominant purpose. we don't usually start for we know, we just say all things work together and we ought to start with the first of it so that we ourselves, we do know that all things work together according to God's purpose.

So true, Art. So true. We know. Something that he continues to build in our lives that we know, and we know experientially, right? It's not that we know because God says we need to know this. Wake up, everybody. We know if you got up and brushed your teeth this morning, or even if you didn't brush your teeth. We know. Wake up. We're in a foreign place here.

And if you're not realizing yet that all things kind of don't work to the good of us, You'll recognize that. So, the natural response to these trials and tribulations is what? Remember the earlier diagram? Where's God? Why me? Despair, frustration, anxiety, worry, disappointment.

That's the natural response. And that's the response that we're so used to, is it not? response that deals with the Adam nature. But let's look at the response that ultimately is one that he has there for us. Being confident in this very thing that he which has begun a good work in us will perform it. It means that it's an active term that kind of was one that's going to be in the kind of he's going to continue to perform it until the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Later in Philippians, da-da-da-da, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Whoops! But it's God who works in you both the will and to do of His good pleasure. It's not us. This isn't something we work at in our own power and strength. It's the Lord Jesus Christ who actually shows up increasingly in our lives to ultimately bring this ultimate truth of another life to our attention.

Second Corinthians 12, 9 and 10, and He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, meaning all of us, at all times, under all circumstances. For my strength is made perfect in weakness." Whoops! Huh? My strength made perfect in weakness? What's weakness? What's the Greek term for weakness? Thank you. No strength. None.

So God's not asking us to help him in this task, right? We recognize increasingly, I don't know about you, but I recognize increasingly I bring nothing to the table here. So when the Lord continues to remind me that Bob, thanks for not showing up in your own strength. I got a life here that I want to live out in you, right? It's my life that needs to live out, not yours, mine. So my strength, meaning that of the Lord Jesus Christ, is made perfect in your weakness, which is no strength. I don't need your help here. All I want is by faith for you to realize that I'm the guy who's going to live out here, not you.

So most gladly, therefore, will I glory rather in my infirmities. That's what Paul's saying. I'm going to gladly let God glorify me, or I'm going to glory, in these infirmities. Why? Because the power of the Lord Jesus is going to rest on me. And I'm going to have a great time here in these infirmities. Sorry, not me, but as I think more and rest more in these infirmities, that's going to give me pleasure in these reproaches in privations or trials and persecutions and distresses for his sake. Because when I'm weak, what happens? There's a lot of strength that shows up. A lot of strength that shows up. And as we extend that to kind of the reality of who we are, I couldn't pass this up. as an example of this.

Mom looks a little bit concerned but yet kind of content that, you know, this child has a lot of rest because she knows that through this tough time, this trial and tribulation, that there's a lot of peace a lot of comfort and a lot of rest. And this picture, despite how well it portrays that truth, stops short, doesn't it? It stops short because Hal, very much when he began this class in the first part of this year, knew that we were all part of learning what the Lord has for us. And that's comfort and rest. purpose, God's purpose, as Hal has tried to set the stage for this, as he's made us realize increasingly, oh, by the way, these trials begin to be present so that his strength through our weakness and our perfect comfort and rest never cease. Any thoughts about how you reflect on this very, very, very critically important truth of the life for the believer. John?

In Psalm 23, David says, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. I ride with my staff, they comfort me. He doesn't say he's going to take us around that valley, but when we go through it, he's with us.

I was just thinking that It's amazing how through our infirmities we give our own form of comfort. Mine is in Illinois. Pretty here on Earth. And had it not been, I think, for my infirmity, I would never have met her. Tomorrow is my 40th anniversary. Praise the Lord. Happy anniversary.

But I think that's one of those things that's a true blessing in my life. I can say that with very much confidence. I think that's one of the things you think about. But we have no children, but that's the type of feeling that one has among a spouse, even as you have there with that child. Look at this young lady. Comfort. Rest. Where is her rest? Well, very simplistically, with her mother. But our rest, and hers too, ultimately, comes from these earthly experiences.

And I can't think of anything other than for everybody in this class to get an A in the class. We'll assume it's included here, Helmut, and not to be ignored. Any reflections at all about this whole area? in terms of God's purpose. You came to this class six months ago, most of you anyway, because you thought that maybe you were thinking about identifying with it in some way. Gee, goodness, trials and tribulations. Should I go to that class? What are the other choices?

Oh, yeah, there's Doyle down there. And Doyle's always great at bringing us some truth in Hebrews. That was his task this time. And goodness, I don't know about you, but I always like to be in all three classes. Now there's going to be, what, five choices, is there? I'd like to be in all of them, but we can't be in all of them. So you showed up here for a reason. We thank you, Dr. Bob, and also Al and Roger, for your bringing forth these truths from God's Word. Well, thanks, Art.

You know, we just show up here, too, to try to bring forth God's truth. And remember, His truth is going to set us free, right? His truth sets us free. And unfortunately, as we look at that freedom we get, we slow down at times, saying, goodness God, why me?

Right? Wrong. God is perfectly knowledgeable, willing and capable to set us free in every detail of every circumstance that shows up in our life. And when we acknowledge that, you know, whether it's Hal or whether it's Roger or it's me from the bullpen showing up here occasionally to help us down that path, goodness, that truth is unequivocally an A-grade. Because that A-grade shows up because it's His life, not ours, that we ultimately believe in and realize.

Thanks. Okay, let's close in prayer. We know that as we walk this planet, that as we continue to pay attention to what comes up, we realize that Satan, goodness, he never quits. And that the world around us doesn't have anything more to offer than it did six months ago.

If anything, as we live by grace and truth, we actually realize that as we continue to go through these trials and tribulations, all we can say is, goodness, Paul was right, for me to live is Christ, not me. And ultimately, to die is gain, and boy, what a great victory. But you know, we can experience that victory even each and every day as we rest and trust and believe that it's He, not us. who ultimately is the triumph in our trials and tribulations. So Father, thank you for allowing us to partake, to fellowship together through these issues, and ultimately believe that each and every trial and tribulation brings greater glory to you and greater rest and comfort to us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.